THE RENTED BABY

Publishment of The Telegraph by Dean Nelson in New Delhi


A wealthy Indian family discovered their seven month old son was being rented out to beggars by their own nanny while they were out at work.



It is common for female beggars to carry babies with empty milk bottles at traffic lights in India's main cities



Every day, the baby boy's mother would lay out his clothes for the day and leave him with his nanny while she went out to work for one of Bangalore's multinational companies.
But no sooner had she left than the child was dressed in rags, sedated with drugs, and handed over to a beggar gang which used him as a prop to generate sympathy and persuade passing motorists to part with their cash.

While the child was out the nanny relaxed on the couple's sofa, watched television soaps, and helped herself to contents of the fridge.
The family discovered their baby's double life when the mother came home early one day and found the nanny watching the television with no sign of the child.
The nanny or "ayah" as they are known in India, confessed that she had rented out the baby to a beggar gang for 100 rupees per day (around £1.25) and that the child had been spending his days on the streets for the last three weeks.
It is common for female beggars to carry babies with empty milk bottles at traffic lights in India's main cities, and rumours that babies are rented as props to increase the number of donations they receive, but there have been few proven cases.
The case has highlighted the extent to which organised begging operates as an industry in India.